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Wednesday, 26 March 2014

A call for Cambridge’s long-awaited Chisholm Trail to be funded with the first tranche of money from the City Deal has been made by Liberal Democrat County Councillor, Kilian Bourke.

Cllr Bourke, who represents Cambridge’s Romsey ward, suggested the strategic cycle route should be a top priority as county councillors discussed the government’s approval of the Greater Cambridge City Deal at full council yesterday (Tuesday, March 25).

His call comes after he put forward a motion two years ago urging the county council to adopt the Chisholm Trail as policy.

Although his motion was rejected by the administration, the trail was subsequently included in the list of possible projects for funding by the City Deal and is expected to be be adopted as policy in the final version of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Transport Strategy.

Cambridge City Council has also included the trail in its Local Plan which sets out how Cambridge will develop in future years.

Cllr Bourke said: "The Chisholm Trail is a vital project for the City and South Cambs. It would run all the way from Addenbrooke's Hospital to the south of the city to the Science Park in the north, alongside the railway tracks. It would link up many key centres of education and employment, including the existing railway station and the new one in Chesterton too.

"This would enable massive numbers of people who are currently too scared to cycle to work on our busy roads to do so, by creating a safe, convenient route for them."

"The trail could be created on the cheap in a piecemeal way, but I think we should use this massive injection of capital funding to be really ambitious. We should be aiming to create a European standard cycle route on both sides of the railway tracks, with high quality access links throughout."

"I urge all of the Councils involved to press ahead with this project and to fund it with the very first tranche of City Deal money. The case for the Chisholm Trail is overwhelming.”